"But
God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by
whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."-- Galatians 6:14

Everything about the
doctrine of the cross is glorious. It was a glorious Savior who died. He died
for a glorious purpose, to redeem God's elect from the fall. His death reveals
the glory of God. And by his death the Lord Jesus Christ raises ruined sinners
up to a glorious inheritance. No wonder Paul exclaimed, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ!" Why did Paul glory in the cross? Let
me give you five answers to that question.

1.IT IS A COMPASSION REVEALED. Would you know the love of
God? Then look into the death of Christ upon the cursed tree. Only there can it
be truly realized that "God is love"
(Rom.5:8; John 3:16; 1 John 3:16; 4:9-10).

2.IT IS A COVENANT RESPECTED. Long before the world
began God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, entered into a covenant of grace by
which the salvation of God's elect was infallibly secured (2 Sam. 23:5; Jer.
31:31-34; 32:37-40). Our Lord Jesus, by his obedience unto death, even the death
of the cross, as our Substitute, fulfilled and ratified that everlasting
covenant (John 10:16-18; Heb. 9:16-22; 13:20).

3.IT IS A CONQUEST REALIZED (John 12:31-33). Upon the
cross Christ justified his elect, conquered Satan, and procured the Spirit's
effectual call of his elect, guaranteeing the salvation of every sinner for
whom he died.

4.IT IS A CURSE REMOVED. The blood of Christ cannot
fail to save every soul for whom that blood was shed, because the blood of
Christ poured out unto death upon the cross has fully removed the curse of the
law from God's elect (Rom. 8:1; Gal. 3:13). The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ
shall never be discovered a miscarriage! "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied."

5.IT IS A COMFORTABLE RULE. In verse 16 Paul is still
talking about the glory of the cross. He says, "As many as walk according to this rule." What rule? The rule
of the cross. "Peace (shall) be on them!" All who live under the
rule and dominion of the cross find peace (Matt. 11: 28-30). Believers are not
under the rule of the Mosaic law (Rom. 6:14; 7:4; 10:4). And we are not under
the rule of religious traditions (Col. 2:16-22). But we do gladly live under
the blessed, comfortable rule of the cross. We are motivated by Christ's death
upon the cross (1 Cor. 6:20) and seek in all things to be conformed to the
example of our crucified Savior (Phil. 3:10).